Winter's End
by ModernTsunami
Summary: Cliff's life in Mineral Town as he experiences renewed emotions all because of a new farmer.
1. Chapter 1

The church was definitely my favorite place in the entire village. I was sitting on the first pew, leaning back and watching the flame flicker on one of the candles nearby. Faint light leaked through the stained glass windows, painting the hard floors beneath in blues, yellows, and reds. Despite the windows and candles, the church was always a little dim, even in the late afternoon. My mind was empty, a rare blessing that only seemed to happen when I was alone in this building. All I could focus on was the comfortable atmosphere and sights around me. Muffled speech and laughter was coming from outside. Carter was outside humoring May and Stu, two neighborhood children, with silly stories that always ended with a moral. How typical of a pastor! I was often subjected to those childish stories myself, but Carter was a good friend of mine (well, one of my _only_ friends) so I could put up with them.

I heard the clamor of footsteps approaching. The kids must have left and Carter was coming in to work again. I straightened up a bit. Even though Carter was a great (although strange) guy, I wasn't completely comfortable around him. I wasn't comfortable with anyone, really. The doors opened and a light flooded the room for a few brief seconds.

"Hello, Cliff." Carter greeted me cheerfully as he walked past me to his desk. He was a guy who always seemed to be in a great mood, and was always encouraging me to go out and have fun. He acts like the perfect mom in some ways. Like I said, he's a strange guy. He's in his mid-thirties, yet has the "wisdom" (senile ramblings) of an old man.

"Hey." I mumble back. He sits at his desk and starts writing something, probably a new story to spread around town. He seems completely at ease as always, but he's marred the peace that the church creates for me.

I was always awkward around people, but now I can hardly stand to be around them. When anyone is around, I can't just relax and enjoy myself. In this particular situation, I feel as if Carter's waiting for me to speak. I don't know what to say, and the scribbling of his pen is agitating, making me increasingly uncomfortable with each painful scratch against the paper. It grows louder until I can't bear it any longer.

"What's the latest news?" I breathe, and the tension I probably imagined is temporarily relieved.

"Oh," he sighs and puts his pen down, trying to act nonchalant. He always tries to hide his excitement when I express any interest in the goings on of the people around me. "Nothing other than a young lady moved into that old abandoned farm."

I can't help but smile at the fact that he said _young lady_. "Why would she move there?"

"Some say the mayor tricked her into it, but I wouldn't know. You should ask her."

There we go. Now he's going to suggest that I start making more friends.

"You know, Cliff, you can't lock yourself in the church forever. I really think you should get to know more people."

Bingo.

"I know plenty of people." I protested, my voice sounding like a child.

"Name them." Carter demands, sounding like he's preparing to scold me for my pathetic lie.

"Well, there's you." I said as I frantically racked my mind for more names.

"And?"

"And Ann at the Inn. We're pretty good friends. There's my roommate, Gray, too. We talk."

"I still think you need to get out more often." Carter said and resumed his work.

The anxiety started to build again, but I didn't want to be lectured by Carter anymore. I checked the clock. It was almost seven. Time to go back to the Inn.

I stood up and my bones popped as I stretched. I couldn't believe I had been sitting there and spacing out for nearly eight hours. "I'm going now." I said to Carter and walked down the aisle to leave.

"See you tomorrow." He sighed.

I opened the door and walked out onto the cobbled streets of North Mineral Town, the narrow path lined with tall lamps on the brink of turning on. Twilight had settled in the sky, turning everything a light shade of blue that grew darker as night hastily approached. Delicious scents filled the air from the remnants of dinner. As I walked along the path I carefully observed the villagers in their daily life. The brown-haired nurse was saying her goodbyes to the Doctor, who wished her grandmother well. She blushed and began to walk home, ready to prepare some late dinner for her infirm grandma and Stu, her younger brother, before returning. The sickly shopkeeper, Jeff, was closing up his store, or was trying to, as the talkative Manna tried to chat her way in to buy some meaningless thing. Down the street I could see Basil, a botanist, cheerfully leaving his home to go drinking at the Inn as his wife looked forlornly out the door. It's true that I never talked to these people, but I did know them, probably more than they would want me to.

I finally reached the Inn and was greeted with the loud cacophony of socializing. Karen, Jeff's daughter, was laughing it up and drinking it down at the bar with Rick, the boy from the poultry farm, who looked slightly uncomfortable and concerned. Saibara, the hard-as-steel elderly blacksmith was drinking wine and lost in thought at a table by himself. Although he visited the bar every night and drank the entire time, I had never seen Saibara act silly or show any sign that the alcohol affected him whatsoever. It was rather impressive. Basil walked in, ordered a meal before sitting with the winery owner and beginning a loud, boisterous conversation about grapes. Yes, grapes. The air was hot and burned with a tint of alcohol. Just walking in was uncomfortable for me, but I was hungry, and had to order dinner.

"The usual?" asked Doug, the Innkeeper and chef. He was a portly man who seemed like he had it all together. I immediately liked him from the moment I first met him, and we had formed a small understanding of one another. Not exactly friends, but we respected each other.

I nodded as I sat at the bar and Doug hurried to the kitchens to prepare my meal. Just as he hustled into the kitchen, his daughter burst out. Ann _was_ energy. During the days she cleaned and delivered lunches, at nights she helped run the bar and cook meals, yet she always made time to chat with customers and everyone thought of her as "a sweet girl".

I had known Ann for nearly a year now, and, with much persistence on her side, had grown close to her and found in her a real friend. On some of the more dreary days I had spent in Mineral Town, Ann's smile had brightened them and made them much more bearable, probably more than she ever understood.

She ran Basil's food out to him, her long red braid flowing behind her. Karen cried out for more wine (against Rick's advice) and so Ann ran to serve her as well. It was then that she noticed I was back, and smiled at me as she pushed some loose hair out of her face.

"Cliff!" she grinned and ran around the bar. Her cheerfulness surprised me every time I saw her. She rushed to me and collapsed on the seat next to mine. "Phew!" she sighed, and flashed me another grin. I couldn't help but give her a small smile back.

"You seem pretty excited today." Ann was excited _every_ day.

"Well I had a very exciting day!" she said, almost defensively.

"Oh really?" I asked, not believing anything truly eventful happened. "How so?"

"I met the new girl!" She cried as she pulled out a cloth out of the pocket of her overalls and began to wipe the bar counter. "She came to the Inn earlier today. Dad and I gave her a free lunch."

It seemed like this small village couldn't get enough of any new gossip. When I came to Mineral Town a year before, I was visited by nearly everyone in town, each person eager to see me and meet me. That was when I first found refuge in the church. It's one of the only places people don't come up to you and try to make small talk (unless you're Ann). Eventually most of Mineral Town grew tired of my unwillingness to chat and forgot me. I simply nodded in response and Ann continued.

"Her name is Claire, and she really likes tempura. She's pretty nice but she seemed kind of tired to me."

"Everyone seems tired to you, Ann." I smirked.

"Oh shut up, you. She's running a whole farm by herself, and we all know that that farm wasn't in mint condition."

Hearing that made me remember my earlier question. "Did you ask her why she bought the farm?"

"No, I hadn't thought to ask her that." Ann said and gave me a strange look. We were quiet for a moment, which began to increase my discomfort. Ann was easy to talk to, but occasionally Ann would go silent, and I couldn't be around her anymore.

The kitchen door swung open and Doug came out with my _usual_: curry rice. "Eat up." He said as he placed the plate in front of me. I handed him some coins and dug in.

"Looks like Karen needs another refill." Ann said as she scooped up a handful of rice and popped it into her mouth. I looked up at her to protest, but she had run off to fetch the wine bottle.

The upstairs in the Inn is quiet and cool, the complete opposite of the bar area below. I unlocked my room and saw Gray was lying on his bed, reading. Gray is easy to get along with, and I think it's because he's not a people person either. He's reserved but I think it's more because he hates people than is shy, which is probably why he's only friends with Mary and the always absent Kai.

"Hey." He mumbled, not taking his eyes off his book. I tried to read the title, but his hands hid it.

"What're reading?" I asked him, only half-interested as I sat at the table.

"Nothing." He replied and turned a page.

I pulled out my money and counted how much I had left. My savings were starting to dwindle, but in a small village like this there wasn't much work available. The thought of having to move again put me in a somber mood, and I had to put the money away. I began to think about my life here. I was doing nothing all day, I had no job, barely any friends, no family, no love, nothing. There seemed to be no point in even living, let alone living in Mineral Town. The pleasant little village didn't need someone like me moping around. Yet I didn't want to leave. Was it because of Carter? Was it because of Ann? I knew it wasn't. There was something in me, a former self, that didn't want to give up, that kept telling me if I stay here something would happen and my life would change.

I pulled out the old picture tucked away in my pocket. A happy boy of about five with wild brown hair and even wilder brown eyes grinned at me. He was hugging a confused looking three year old girl whose hair was a mess of light brown curls. Above them was a beautiful woman whose green eyes shined with happiness and pale blonde hair fell down her shoulders in waves. In the right hand corner was half a body whose face was hidden. It was a man with dark brown hair that was hurrying to the side of the woman, trying to get there before the camera flashed, but was too late. It was a family that didn't exist anymore.

I jumped at the sound of Gray's book slamming against the wooden floor.

"I'm going to sleep." It sounded like an order more than a statement.

"Yeah, me too." I said and changed into some pajama bottoms. I blew out the candles in the room and crawled into bed, feeling more miserable than I had in years.

I woke up to the sound of my door opening. I quickly sat up to see Ann walking in to my room, holding her cleaning supplies. Once she saw me lying there, with my shirt off, she jumped, dropped her cleaning stuff and ran out of the room. Great way to start a morning. I had just finished changing when I heard a light knock on the door. I opened it and of course it was a red-faced Ann.

"Uh, sorry for barging in on you. You're usually gone by now so I thought I'd come in and do some cleaning before I deliver lunches." She said as she stared at the floor.

Deliver lunches?

"No it's fine, but what time is it?" I noticed my room was unusually bright.

"It's almost one-thirty." She said, finally looking me in the face.

One thirty? Wow, I really did sleep in.

"I need to go." I said as I ran and grabbed my money off the table. "Bye Ann."

She started to say bye, but I was already running down the stairs. I ran all the way to the church before throwing the doors open and yelling, "Sorry I'm late!"

Carter looked up from his lunch with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean you're late?"

And that's when I realized how stupid I was being. I had no obligation to be at the Church at ten o'clock every day, I just was.

"Er, never mind." I mumbled, clearly embarrassed, and walked up to the first pew and sat down.

"Want something to eat? I can make you something." Carter offered, gracefully ignoring my dramatic entrance.

"No thanks. I just need to cool off here for a minute."

I thought I heard Carter murmur something that sounded like "or hours."

After an hour or two I was thinking about my money problems again. Usually the church clears my mind, but this issue would not go away, no matter how long I stared at a candle.

The creak of the church doors interrupted my thoughts and suddenly the church was filled with bright sunlight. I carefully glanced over my shoulder to see who it was.

There was a girl standing in the door, a girl I'd never seen before. She had long, straight blonde hair that went down just below her shoulders. She looked pale, but I could tell her cheeks were flushed pink from the heat. Around her shoulder was a brown rucksack that rested at her hip, brimming with mountain grass and bamboo shoots. She was carrying bags of seeds and even had a small bag sticking out of the front pocket of her blue overalls, which were covered in dirt and grass stains. This must be the girl Ann was telling me about.

Claire who likes tempura.

"Is it alright if I come inside and cool off for a bit?" she asked breathlessly. I turned and faced the candle again, lowering my head a little in hopes of going unnoticed.

"Sure, sure! Have a seat!" Carter abandoned his lunch to help the girl with her bags.

"Thanks." She said and sighed in relief as the load was lifted. "I just need a short break."

"Take your time. My name's Carter, I'm the pastor of this Church." I could hear a _thunk_ as he set her belongings on a pew.

"I'm Claire, I just moved into that farm a few days ago."

"I heard. Are you buying seeds to plant?"

"Yeah, I spent these past days trying to clean up the field a bit, but there's just so much more work left!"

"It must be hard by yourself."

Their conversation carried on for a while. I was eventually able to tune them out and return to my thoughts, but was pulled back when I heard my name mentioned.

"Well, I really should be going now. I'm pretty tired."

"You have a lot to carry… Cliff! Why don't you help Claire with her bags back to her farm?"

I quickly turned around to see Carter grinning at me like a mom who just found the perfect man for her daughter.

"Oh, no it's okay. I can do it on my own." Claire said, probably seeing the look I was giving Carter.

"No, no, he wants to help! Just look at him!" Only Carter would interpret an _"I'm going to kill you!" _look as an _"Oh boy, I'd love to!" _look.

"I don't want to be any trouble, it's fine." The girl said as she slipped her rucksack over her neck.

Oh well. "It's alright, I'll help." I mumbled and walked over to her pew and picked up the bags.

"Thanks." She said and gave me a smile. I looked at the ground.

I followed her towards the door and as she stepped out I looked back for a quick glance at Carter. He was smiling and giving me two thumbs up. What an idiot.

At first we walked silently, but after a while the girl began to talk.

"So you're name's Cliff?" she asked, trying to make small talk.

"Yeah."

There was silence again.

"Have you always lived in Mineral Town?" she asked, trying once again.

"No, I came here almost a year ago. I lived in another village not too far away."

"I used to live in the city." She said.

I remembered my question again. "Why did you move to the farm?" I asked.

"I'm not really sure. I was just in my apartment one day and realized I was doing nothing with my life. I wanted to try something new and actually start living. Then I saw an ad in the newspaper advertising a nice comfortable farm and a happy life. I thought it was my chance."

We reached her farm and I stared at it in awe.

"I really should have thought about it first." She laughed darkly.

Her farm was a mess. The field where she was supposed to grow crops was covered in rocks, weeds, branches, and even tree stumps. I turned and stared at her face. She had weak written all over her. How on earth was this little girl going to run a farm all alone?

"Oh, it's not that bad!" she said, reading the look of sheer pity on my face. "Do you want a glass of water?"

The unusual heat and the heavy load I carried had made me parched. I nodded and quietly followed her into her house.

"You can set the bags by that chest over there." She instructed and walked off to the kitchen.

I did as I was told and observed the little living room she had left me in. I could tell she spent a great amount of time fixing up the house. The floors were polished, the walls wiped, and there wasn't a cobweb in sight. The room was small and cozy. I sat at the little round coffee table in the center and waited for her to come back. I then noticed a stack of books from the library. I was rifling through one when she walked in.

"This book is all about growing crops…" I murmured as she leaned over me to place the water on the table. I casually moved away and kept my eyes on the book.

"Um, yeah." She laughed nervously. "It really helps when you have no idea what you're doing."

I shot up and looked at her in surprise. "Don't tell me you've never farmed before?"

"I'm from the city, remember?" she said, before chugging her water.

I continued to stare at her, shocked. Not only was this weak little girl running a farm on her own, but she didn't even know how to run it? Her situation was growing more absurd by the minute. I couldn't just watch and see her lose her farm, have her chance for a new life, as she put it, destroyed. I looked at her eyes and saw a faint sadness in them, like deep down she knew what would ultimately happen to her.

"Well," I started, hoping I wouldn't regret this later, "I used to live on a farm."

Her blue eyes flashed to mine.

"Really?" she asked, eyes intent upon mine.

I quickly looked down at the book once again. "I could help you out until you get the hang of it." I mumbled.

Suddenly she jumped up, startling me. "Really? Really?"

I could feel my face go red. "It's alright; I don't do much during the day anyway…" I closed the book and set it on top of the others.

"Cliff!" she cried, and even though I wasn't looking at her, I could tell she was grinning. She sat back down though she was still fidgety with excitement. "I couldn't accept your help for free though, but I don't have a lot of money…" she mused on it for a while. "How about 70 G a day and free lunches?"

That was perfect. I could earn a bit of extra money and cut back on my expenses by not buying lunch at the Inn every day. "Sounds like a deal to me."I said and awkwardly held out my hand for her to shake. She grabbed it and shook it enthusiastically.

"Can you show up at eight tomorrow morning?" she asked, still smiling.

"Sure, I'll see you then." I answered and stood up to leave.

As I reached for the door knob she called my name. I turned to see her standing with a small grateful smile.

"Thanks."

"Bye Claire." And I left.

At the Inn I caught Ann preparing the bar for its nightly visitors. When she saw me walk in, I saw her face go pink and she began to focus extremely hard on arranging various bottles of liquor. I didn't understand why she was so embarrassed; it was just a small mistake that she made this morning.

"Ann, you don't need to feel so ashamed. All you did was wake me up, and I needed to get up anyway." I said as I pulled up a stool.

She continued to fidget with a bottle. "Yeah, you're right, I guess." She mumbled something inaudible and went quiet.

The situation became awkward once more. I decided to cheer Ann up a bit.

"I met that new girl on the farm today."

With one simple sentence Ann was perked up again. "Didn't you think she was nice?"

"Yeah, actually." I realized that during my conversation with Claire I hardly felt uncomfortable. Well, at least less uncomfortable. "I'm actually going to help her on her farm tomorrow."

"Really?" Ann said, and began wiping the counter.

"Yeah, I felt bad for her. She has an enormous amount of work ahead of her." I smiled.

"Hmm." Ann replied and began to clean more vigorously.

I laughed a little. "She actually has no idea about farming. It's pretty ridiculous."

Ann surprisingly made no reply but smiled at me. Luckily Doug came in from the back room.

"Curry rice today too, Cliff?" he asked cheerfully.

I thought about that for a while. "No, not today." I said, quietly laughing to myself.

"What then?" he asked, a little puzzled by my mood.

"Tempura."


	2. Chapter 2

I slowly opened my eyes to see the room steadily filling with faint light. The air was still and small flecks of dust were visible, floating blissfully in the rays of sun that shone through the thin drapes adorning the window.

Everything was so peaceful and tranquil it felt like I would corrupt this sanctuary with the slightest movement. However it was 6:00 in the morning, and I had to be at Claire's farm by 8:00.

Leaving the warm haven of my bed behind, I quietly rose, careful not to wake up Gray. I had made that mistake before, and if you thought Gray was a grouch before, you do _not_ want to be near him after a rude awakening. I felt the back of my head as if the bump would still be there from _that_ time. No way would that happen again.

Silently I dressed, sending the bits of dust swirling like a swarm of bees.

I made sure to pack a few essentials in an old worn-down rucksack I still owned from my work on the farm. Okay, maybe "few" is an overstatement. I only packed a pair of ancient work gloves and a rag. Farm equipment wasn't on my list to pack when I left home. The bag felt awkwardly lightweight, considering its enormous size and scarce contents. I decided to throw my money bag in their too. Unfortunately, it didn't add much to the weight.

"_It's okay, little guy! If I keep this up, one day you'll grow big and heavy!_"

Talking to your savings is never a good sign.

After shutting the door as gently as I could manage, I dashed down the stairs, careful not to slip on any short steps. Running a little behind schedule always made me anxious, and I still had to eat breakfast. Luckily, Doug was just setting out a serving of omelet rice, my dinner order from the night before.

"Mornin', Cliff" he greeted, observing my deflated rucksack and peculiar sense of purpose. "Big plans for today?"

"Not really. Just helping Clare-" He cut me off and lost himself in thought. I reasoned he was searching his mind for the face of the name I had given him. His thick red eyebrows rose slightly. Claire's bright gold hair and girlish face must have popped in his head, as he indicated with a nod for me to continue. That's Doug for you.

"I'm going to be helping Claire out on her farm for a while."

Doug cast me a curious look. Geez, even Doug is into town gossip?

I ended the conversation by tossing some food in my mouth.

In the mornings the Inn is deserted and silent, just the way I like it. The large dining room was vacant with the exception of Doug and me, a complete contrast to night when it's filled with the drunken and rowdier inhabitants of Mineral Town. I studied the room as I ate, admiring all the work Ann must have done to clean up after the night before.

As if on cue, Ann strode into the dining room.

"Good morning!" she grinned and started to skip over to my table.

I was glad her mood from yesterday had passed. When Ann was happy, she could make anyone feel the same way with just a flicker from her electric blue eyes; in just a moment, she'd capture your emotions until she disappeared from sight. Her cheerfulness overwhelmed me, and I caught myself smiling widely back at her.

"Hi, Ann. Great to see you this morning."

She seemed startled by my unusually warm response, but snatched a bite of my food nonetheless.

"Do you always steal food from your customers or just me?" I smirked.

"That's a secret! I don't need that getting out and hurting the Inn's reputation!" she joked and tried to move in for a second attack. I blocked her with ease, and enjoyed the last bite all to myself, intentionally making exaggerated faces to show how amazing it tasted. With Doug's cooking though, it wasn't far off.

"Hey, no fair!" she teased and lightly elbowed my side.

"What do you mean 'no fair'? I paid for that!" I laughed. Ann had probably stolen a banquet's worth of free food off my plates by now.

Ann stuck her tongue out at me and grabbed my empty plate to take back to the kitchen. I rose and started to gather my things. I'd hate to be late on my first day, and I'd hate even more to have pay deducted!

"No no no! Wait, I have something I need to give you!" Ann explained and hurried to the kitchen. Before I could even process what she had said she was back out, skipping towards me. Her arms will filled with a fairly large bundle and a sheet of paper. I watched as she scrawled a note on the paper and tossed it in the bundle. The present was thrust into my hands.

"Your lunch. Made by yours truly, completely free of charge!" she announced with a large grin.

The package abruptly grew heavier in my arms from the added burden of guilt. Ann looked so proud I couldn't bring myself to tell her Claire had promised me lunch as part of my payment. To hide the burning shame in my cheeks, I tried to peer inside. Ann was quick to stop me.

"Nope! You can't look inside until you eat. No peeking!" she playfully chided.

"Thanks Ann. I'm sure it's delicious if you made it.: I said a little nervously and packed it securely into my rucksack.

Ann gave me a final smile. "Good luck; work hard!" she cheered before darting back to the kitchen.

My rucksack felt even stranger with Ann's lunch inside.

I walked out of the Inn and began to make my way towards Claire's farm. Being out early in the morning refreshed me and filled me with a sense of renewal. The air feels wholesome and cool, completely pure. I was never a lover of the outdoors, but today felt different. Something told me the real reason I felt so relieved was because I was finally releasing myself from the schedule I had trapped myself into. Excitement and trepidation were coursing through me all at once. It was the feeling of the person I used to be resurfacing, and I continued to walk forward.

I arrived at the farm approximately twenty minutes early. Apparently all my rushing was unnecessary.

After a series of unanswered knocks on Claire's door, I could logically conclude the farm was deserted. Strange that she would leave her farm completely unattended so early in the morning. However, I pushed that thought out of my head and decided to use my spare time as a chance to survey the land more thoroughly than yesterday.

The majority of the field remained as messy as before, except that I noticed a small patch of land that had been cleared since yesterday evening.

"Claire must have gone back to work after I left..."

Compelled by the desire to view her work, I found myself walking over to check out the freshly exposed soil. Although she hadn't tilled the land yet, it was easy to see that the dark rich dirt had been well-taken care of before. If Claire could somehow manage to pull her dream off, she might be a real success,

The nearby barn caught my attention, beckoning me with its creaking wooden doors and charming exterior. Peeking inside, I found the cozy shelter abandoned, with no sign of current habitation. At least the building appeared to be in fair condition and spacious enough for a small herd of livestock.

I spent the rest of my time observing this odd little girl's farm, checking out the empty horse stable and chicken coop. A closer look allowed me to recognize that her farm wasn't as dismal as I had originally perceived. As long as someone invested enough hard work and talent into it, they could have one of the most beautiful and prosperous farms for several villages. Maybe Claire saw the same potential with one look...

Well, I hope she knew how _much_ hard work was needed.

By 8:10 Claire still hadn't shown up. It was uncomfortable loitering around her farm, and the unusual high temperature this Spring was subjected to was creeping upon me.

Maybe it was just the heat, but a surprisingly bold idea popped into my head.

"_I've explored every building on the farm except one..._"

I'd been in Claire's house before, but had only seen her quaint little living room. _NO_, I wasn't going to be a stalker and go rifling through her drawers or anything. I just wanted to take another peek inside, maybe browse her bookshelf and do some reading while I waited...

Another five minutes of debating and I finally gathered the nerve to seize the handle and open the door.

Immediately a heavy force slammed into my chest with a deadly blow and sent me falling backwards.

"_Damn it!_" A voice screeched in my head. "_She's going to kill me!_"

My eyes flew open and instead of seeing Claire glowering over me, giant hammer posed for a second swing, I beheld a dog. Large brown eyes set in its tiny skull gazed at me, brimming with love. It's tiny body danced around in my lap, shaking with enthusiasm.

Who would have thought this simple dog, no, simple _puppy_ had that much power?

I took the dog in my hands and stood, holding him (it apparently was male) so we could examine one another, face to face. We must have been a ridiculous sight to see. I stared him down like a chess player does to his opponent, while he watched mine, all the while playfully barking.

"Buckley?" a distant voice called.

I jumped and almost fell backwards again out of complete surprise. Fast as I could possibly move, I shut Claire's door and gripped the pup tighter. The extra attention was received gleefully.

Turning around, I could see Claire running towards us from the southern part of her farm. Once again, her rucksack was overflowing with wild mountain grass. Plant life stuck to her overalls and spiny burrs clung to her cloves and straw-colored hair. Her flushed cheeks shined with a thin sheet of sweat, giving her a breathless look that was filled with life. She seemed strangely...pretty.

That fleeting thought vanished from my mind when she shot me a quizzical look and skeptically asked, "What's Buckley doing out here?"

"Buckley? Oh! I, uh, just saw him running loose and picked him up before he, you know, ran off." I clumsily lied. I stared at the ground, hoping she'd brush off my stuttering as shyness instead if panic. Fortunately, she was distracted.

Buckley managed to squirm out of my arms and dashed straight to Claire, ready to send her flying down to the ground. But with an ear piercing whistle Claire stopped him in his tracks and he sat down in front of her. Apparently she had experienced the dog's in-canine strength a few times herself.

"Silly puppy!" she cooed and scooped him up in her arms to nuzzle him against her cheek. "How'd you get out?" as she opened the door and set him inside. Buckley let out a contented "Arf arf!" and wriggled out of sight till the door closed.

Claire turned her attention to me and abruptly her eyes widened as her eyebrows turned upwards in apology and shame.

"I'm so sorry! I can't believe I'm over fifteen minutes late! It's just, I found a new patch of blue grass this morning and couldn't resist collecting it all." she apologized and gestured to her heavy rucksack.

"Er, no, it's okay," I decided not to mention that I'd really been there for almost forty minutes already. "Let's just get started." I mumbled.

"Wait just one sec; I need to drop all this off in the shipping bin."

She hurried to the nearby bin and emptied her bag into it. I couldn't believe how much she had collected in a single morning. She must have gone hiking all over Mother's Hill already!

"Um, when do you get up in the morning?" I asked her in a state of utter astonishment.

"I'm usually out of the house by six. Why do you ask?"

"No reason..." And I thought I had to wake up early this morning!

Her fingertips stained a dark blue as she shoveled them out of the depths of her rucksack. Her bag looked new, and was only beginning to show use.

She turned to me expectantly. "So," she started, "I was thinking we could begin by clearing off some more land."

I nodded and quietly suggested we divide the labor: I'd chop the large branches and she would cut down the bush-like weeds. After a speedy jog to her house she emerged with an axe for me and a sickle for herself. I stared at the beat-down lump of metal and wood she handed to me. It looked as though it were made in the last century. The blade gave off a sickly luster from its dulled and jagged blade, and the wooden handle chipped away as I held it, a series of splinters stabbing into my gloves.

Claire seemed oblivious to the frightening condition her hand-me-downs were in. She simply smiled and headed off to take a wild swing at the nearest weed.

With a slow defeated sigh I got to work. My arms ached from the sudden exercise and I made a mental note to get into shape. Despite the axe's dreadful appearance and my sore muscles, I soon had a decent pile of freshly chopped lumber for Claire. She practically squealed with delight when she saw how much space was opened with the branches gone, then handed me the sickle. You're welcome.

The weeds were almost completely gone when I heard several frustrated grunts and turned to find Claire struggling to break apart the gigantic boulder in the middle of our work space.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! STOP!" I shouted as I ran at her. She jumped at my sudden outburst.

"Agh! What'd I do?" She looked at me in complete terror.

The bizarre picture of _this_ clueless girl trying to smash a boulder of _that_ size with _that_ hammer just made me lose it and burst into laughter.

"What's going on?"

"You...you can't...smash a boulder that BIG...w-with that crappy thing!" I managed to exhale through fits of laughter. She was just staring at me, not really grasping the absurdity of her situation.

She glanced at her hammer.

She glanced at the boulder.

She glanced at her hammer.

Finally she started to laugh too. Then you couldn't stop us. The situation wasn't that funny, but get two tired fools laughing within a 10 foot radius and they won't stop.

Our fit finally died out after a few minutes and Claire looked at me.

"This is good enough." she chuckled, looking over our morning's work. "We need to get some food in our system before we start hitting each other with hammers and laughing about it." She stretched then started to stroll towards the house. An image of Ann giving me the lunch earlier that morning materialized in my mind, but I ignored it and followed Claire.

Walking from the humid outdoors into Claire's house felt like walking into paradise. We had worked for over five hours non-stop, and I was starving.

"I don't have much yet, but I'll throw something together for us. I never said I'd make you any _good_ lunches!" she giggled as she walked into the kitchen. I took the same spot at the table as I did the day before and notices how dirty I had become.

"Do you mind if I clean up a bit?" I asked hesitantly with a bit of embarrassment.

"Go right ahead." she called and I headed to her bathroom to wash my face and hands.

When I came out Claire was kneeling at the table with our lunches placed before us: rice balls and veggie juice.

"I told you I didn't have much." she laughed, a little self-consciously.

No kidding! I was getting spoiled at the Inn!

"Ha, it's alright." I sat down. Everything tasted a bit too salty, but I wolfed it down regardless.

It wasn't long before Claire struck up a conversation again. By conversation I mean she talked and I listened. She told me all about the people she had met so far. She seemed to have a good opinion of all the resident's of Mineral Town, even the elusive mountain mammal commonly known as Gotz. We debated the existence of the Harvest Sprites, and Claire declared she was determined to find where they lived.

The atmosphere around Claire was so relaxed. I felt that I would act a more and more like my old self around her, and could feel myself changing just a bit as every minute rolled by. Today simply felt different. I had been keeping myself cooped up in the church day after day, and the sudden exposure to the outdoors had finally broken me out of my routine and I was somewhat living again. I thought about what Claire had said to me the day before. "_...I was doing nothing with my life. I wanted to try something new and actually start living..._"

"Claire?" I asked, after we had eaten in silence for a few moments.

"Hmm?" Her mouth was full of rice ball.

"Do you think you made the right decision to move here?"

She was quiet for a minute, chewing thoughtfully. Then her soft blue eyes passed by mine. They seemed dim for a split second, but then brightened. I was so caught up in the near-instantaneous transformation I almost choked on my rice ball when she finally answered.

"Yes."

I broke eye-contact and could feel my cheeks suddenly getting hotter. I didn't dare look up at her now, but stared at my empty plate as I slowly chewed my final rice ball.

"What about you, Cliff? Are you happy to be here?"I heard her ask in a near whisper.

If someone had asked me that a few days before, I would have flatly told them no before asking how much the next ferry out of Mineral Town costs. But things were different now. I glanced up at Claire, only to find she was hiding her face too.

"I think so."

She raised her head and smiled sweetly.

I felt my chest sputter a bit.

"I'm glad you're here too."

I must have looked too serious, because she half-laughed and waved her hand to bring me down to Earth.

"Who else is going to help me go out there and plow?" she teased and headed to the dreaded chest to pull out an antique hoe. I gulped the last of my Veggie juice and sighed. Time to work.

We labored together throughout the afternoon, tilling the land. She had a bit of a mole problem, as I found out after she suddenly screamed a half dozen times, but assured her they shouldn't harm her crops too much. When it was time to plant, I showed her how far down the seed needed to be placed and instructed her on the proper care of each crop. It was interesting to see her set the seed in the ground. Delicately, precisely, she laid each seed into the earth as though it was their destiny to rest there.

"Should I talk to them every day?" she innocently asked.

I couldn't resist the opportunity.

"Twice."

I could tell she made a mental note of that and I had to stifle my laughter.

At dusk we made a final trip to the chest, each of us grabbing a rusted watering can. As we walked through the revived patch of dirt and life, the sun left us alone until we were slowly joined by twinkling stars. All I could hear was the steady breath of the wind as it ruffled the leaves and the steadfast stream of water that showered from our watering cans. I was being lulled to sleep by the pleasant weaving of sounds when Claire's voice broke through the silky air.

"That's it. We finished."

It was a simple statement, and the way it escaped her mouth so matter-of-factly proved it hadn't even registered in her brain yet.

We both stood frozen in place before Claire jumped up and shouted "WE FINISHED!" and erupted into giggles of triumph. I weakly smiled and helped her gather the tools we'd left scattered about. We were both too tired for small talk, and so gathered them in companionable silence. After the last tool was back in the chest, I almost wanted to collapse right there and sleep on the floor.

"I can't believe it's only nine o'clock!" Claire laughed. "In the city, half of the people would just be waking up right about now!"

I didn't respond. I just gazed at her sleepily.

"Okay, my joke wasn't that bad."

She studied my glazed eyes.

"Thanks for your help today, Cliff. I couldn't have done all this without you."

I grabbed my rucksack and headed for the door, dreading the march back to the Inn. "No problem."

"Cliff!" You're forgetting something!" She was smiling when I turned towards her and patted all my pockets.

"Huh?"

"Your payment!" she laughed and pressed 70 G into the palm of my hand. I felt her hand brush past my skin, leaving a trace of warmth.

It was funny to think I was stressing over money that morning and yet had almost walked out her door empty handed.

"Ha, goodnight Claire." I yawned and stumbled out of her house.

"Goodnight." I heard her say as she slowly shut the door.

When I walked into the Inn, I was greeted by an explosion of boisterous laughter.

"What the hell happened to you, boy?" slurred the winery owner.

"I'd say he climbed Mother's Hill and rolled back down the entire way!" chimed Basil.

"I want more wine-nuh!" was all Karen could manage to get out.

Doug looked at me with some concern.

"Are you alright Cliff?"

I mumbled something incomprehensible at him and trudged up the stairs to my room.

Gray was out, probably staying over at the smithy for some early hour training the following morning. I stripped down and soaked in the tub for at least an hour, thinking of nothing. When I re-emerged, I felt more awake and my energy restored. Then I realized how little those rice balls did for me earlier. Unluckily, the kitchen was closed by now. Then I remembered Ann's unopened lunch still tucked away in my rucksack. I untied the neatly wrapped box and gutted it of its contents, devouring them one by one. The first victim was a mouth-watering sandwich made with care and wrapped tightly. Next came a salad made with the best vegetables that had managed to retain their freshness despite it's time spent in the hot rucksack. Finally, to finish the meal with a treat, Ann had packed some sweet moon dumplings. I smiled at the thought of Ann waking up extra early to prepare my meal. After I had indulged myself, I sat back satisfactorily before noticing, at the very bottom of the bag, Ann's note. I pulled it out and unfolded it with care.

"_I promise I didn't steal a bite. Enjoy!_"

I got the best sleep that night than I had in a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

Mineral Town never seemed to change. Sundown always looked the same, felt the same, even smelled the same. It was easy to get lost in time in a place that seemed utterly unaffected by any celestial movements. It was already nearing summer, and the twilight air had embraced a balminess that made you want to sleep outside under the night sky. Or maybe I was just romanticizing things because I was exhausted from another day at the farm.

Days helping Claire with her heavy load of work had flown by. Together we completed a variety of tasks: chopping, harvesting, watering, tilling, planting, gathering, and shipping. All of those jobs boiled down to one thing: building. Together we were building her farm.

My muscles that once ached so badly began to regain their former strength from the effort and grow slightly more prominent, something I was secretly extremely proud of. Claire was getting tougher every day as well. The girl who once looked so weak had transformed with the hardening of her hands and arms into a more capable farmer. Not only had her body strengthened, but her mind as well. We spent countless evenings in the library, me finding farming books, she searching through them for any additional information I was unable to supply.

Basil, the town botanist, was elated to discover a determined young mind hungry for information regarding crops and wild plant life. I'd barely seen the man when he wasn't getting drunk off the "bounties of nature" in the Inn, and was surprised to find him so passionate about his work and eager to impart all his knowledge. Claire couldn't have been happier to become the pupil of a "real author" as she enthusiastically put it over lunch one day.

You can imagine how dismayed she was when Basil kindly informed her that talking to her plants twice a day wasn't anything but a nice gesture.

"All those plants… All those hours…" she lamented before turning her gaze and finding a snickering farm hand.

The bump I received on my head was almost as big as the one Gray had given me.

As she devoted more and more to her farm, it began to show signs of life. Sprouts dotted her freshly tilled field in green. As they grew, small blossoms and vegetables added to the mix, filling Claire with anticipation to pluck them from the plant. I remember when she harvested her first crop.

"Victory!" she had cried, thrusting the cucumber into the sky with a triumph that only legendary warriors could understand.

I tried to keep a straight face, but my laugh escaped despite all attempts to ignore the ridiculous sight before me.

At lunch that day, we dined on salad with fresh cucumber, a welcome break from the constant diet of over-salted rice balls. Buckley sat nearby, calmly begging for a taste until he received a slice of cucumber. Maybe the puppy understood the significance of the slimy green scrap, because he ate the cucumber without any hesitation despite his carnivorous instincts.

Crops were not the only life added to the farm. A foal was gifted to Claire by Barley, her elderly neighbor and owner of Yodel Farm, a ranch famous for its wonderfully raised livestock.

"I shall call him…" a long pause passed and I wondered if Claire was still with me. Just as I was about to wave a hand in front of her cloudy eyes, she shouted "Norman!"

I still don't know why _that_ name.

Somewhat skittish at first, the young colt adjusted to the charming farm and grew larger and healthier every day.

"I can't wait until he's big enough to ride!" she gushed in anticipation while running a coarse brush against Norm's russet coat.

"Er, have you ever had a horseback riding lesson?" I asked, already knowing her answer.

"Nope, but what do I pay you for?"

_Chopping, harvesting, watering, tilling, planting, gathering, and shipping_.

It was fulfilling to see the stable occupied, soon followed by the small chicken coop.

"So, what name suits her best?" I asked Claire, watching as she stared down intensely at the totally oblivious chicken. I tossed a few names around in my head, waiting for her to say something along the lines of "Winifred" or "Madge".

"Clucky!"

Now why did the horse get such a normal name, and the chicken one so cutesy?

I was thinking of all these small milestones when I pushed the large, antique oak doors to the church open, each of them letting out a groan as if to say, "You again?"

Just as the atmosphere of Mineral Town doesn't change, the church doesn't either. Despite that I hadn't visited in nearly a week, everything looked exactly the same as it had for the last year, down to the last candle.

Carter's head rose from the sermon he must have been writing and his face lit up with warmth and excitement as if his lost puppy had just waddled through the doggy door.

"Cliff! Goodness, I haven't seen you in ages!"

Considering how regularly I hung out here before, a week of absence certainly felt like centuries.

With a feeble smile I waved and began my familiar walk to the first pew. The church was empty, with silence resonating from every stone it was composed of— the ideal spot for me to plan out my next few months in Mineral Town.

But Carter would have none of that.

"If only you would have come strolling in a half hour earlier! I just ordered dinner from the inn. I could have treated you to a delicious meal…" he lamented.

Carter may be generous most times, but he can be as guilty of the deadly sin greed as any other human. Mostly when it comes to food. Is that gluttony then? Either way, the glint in his eyes as he said that last sentence made it apparent that he was more than thankful for my inopportune appearance. It was Carter's ambivalence that made him more interesting to study.

"I've eaten already, so no worries." I mumble.

After a bit of small talk Carter finally got to the question that had been on his mind since mid-spring:

"So, how're you and Claire?"

The way he phrased that made me feel a little strange. _You and Claire_. As if we were together. I brushed the thought off, but the slight heat in my cheeks was harder to dispel.

"Um, I'm okay I guess. The farm is really starting to pick up, and I'm earning some money in the process. Claire seems…good." Oh it sounded _so_ awkward. I wished Carter wouldn't say anything more about "me and Claire" and just drop the subject.

"I'm surprised you took a liking to her so quickly to be honest." He sighed as he returned to his work.

I had wondered about that myself. With Ann, and even with Carter, they had to break past my shyness with an almost tangible effort and friendliness. It seemed that Claire did nothing, just simply appeared and inched closer to me every time I was with her. While others took a pleasant pickaxe to my icy exterior, she simply turned up the heat and let it slowly melt. Not that it's melted all the way, not at all. "Icy exterior" should be corrected to "iceberg exterior" or "glacier exterior".

We were quiet again. Before, long empty pauses made me feel pressured to speak. But ever since I began working again, they grew more tolerable. Probably because my days were so chaotic a little peace and quiet was necessary at the end of the day.

The silence felt nice and seemed to float inside my head, clearing out any chaotic thoughts about pickaxes and farms. I was nearly in a trance when a voice interrupted all meditation.

"How do you feel about Claire?"

I looked up to see Carter staring at me intently, his work abandoned on the podium. His expression was startlingly serious, as though he was a psychiatrist analyzing his sickly patient.

"Wha… What do you mean?" I asked, with a weak chuckle of bewilderment.

"You know what I mean."

"She's nice, and a good person to work with." I told him, confused and unsettled by his gravity.

"That's it?"

"We're friends." I said forcefully, not understanding why he obviously thought there was anything more. There wasn't. Claire was a friend, just as Carter was a friend and Ann was a friend.

It looked as though he had something else to say, but the oak doors opened with a noisy wooden complaint. We both turned to see Ann bouncing in, a neatly wrapped pack in her hands and a beaming smile on her face.

"Cliff! I was hoping you'd be here!" she said as she rushed to Carter's podium.

"Here's the dinner you ordered!" she smiled at Carter with full force and placed the steaming package on his desk. He thanked her with delight, all traces of solemnity gone as he clapped his hands and delightfully unwrapped his dinner.

"Hi Ann" I said sheepishly. I was always a little intimidated by the vitality she radiated wherever she went.

"It feels like we haven't talked in a while." She said with a bit of wistfulness, all the while smiling. I didn't reply, but gestured for her to have a seat next to me.

"No, I really have to get back to the Inn soon. Rush hour, y'know?" she said but surveyed the church with a dreamy look. "Hey, Cliff? Do you remember? The first time we really talked was in here." She said nostalgically.

"Of course." I said, and couldn't help but smile. It was when I was fairly new to Mineral Town and first found relief from its residents in the Church. I was arguing with Carter about meeting new people (no surprise) when Ann burst in delivering lunch. I shrunk away from their conversation, but was tossed back in when Carter embarrassed the hell out of me by essentially saying I was extremely socially awkward and needed help meeting people. But Ann was so kind. She volunteered to show me around town right away. We had spoken a few times before, but after she gave me a tour around town, showing me the spring on Mother's Hill and introducing me to anyone we passed on the street, we became friends and really began joking and talking. At the time it was horribly uncomfortable for me having to face all those strangers, but I have to admit I'm a little thankful for it. Ann helped me come out of my shell just the tiniest bit that day.

She saw the admiring look in my eyes as I smiled at her, and looked away quickly, suddenly interested in the floor.

"Ah, see you back at the Inn." She said and darted out the Church.

Carter gave me a slight smile and looked as if he knew a big secret.

"What?" I asked, incredulous that he really knew _anything_, let alone a secret.

"Oh…nothing." He breathed dramatically then chuckled, and returned to his stir fry.

I thought it was a good time to leave.

The next morning I found myself waiting outside Claire's house. She hadn't been late since that first day and the long wait was making me uneasy. Buckley sat by my feet, watching me and waiting for something to happen. Minutes flew by all too quickly, and still no sound of Claire.

I took a look at Buckley, who looked back at me, encouraging some action. I sighed.

"C'mon, Buck. Let's go look."

Despite how casual I sounded, I was filled with anxiety. It simply wasn't like her, and my mind began creating horror stories of things that could have happened to the clumsy and naïve farmer, like she was attacked by some wild dog or the so-called Kappa pulled her into the lake. Hopefully she didn't have any of those cucumbers on her…

We crossed the bridge at the southern edge of her farm and came to the base of Mother's Hill. Cherry blossom trees lined the dirt path that curved its way through the woods and up the small mountain. Buckley, using his hound dog nose, was sniffing the ground, trying to pick up the scent of his favorite person in the world. It didn't take long for him let out a howl and dash toward the spring. Phew, no abduction by the Kappa.

I ran after Buckley with a nauseous feeling in my stomach. _She probably just found some new grass, like last time. I'm sure nothing's wrong_. Though I continued to convince myself of this, I knew something had happened.

And I was right.

When I finally caught up to the dog, he was bouncing around Claire, who was slumped against a towering evergreen tree, eyes closed.

I felt my heart stop for a moment as panic swept through my body.

"Claire!" I cried and I sprinted and kneeled at her side, checking for any injuries or blood.

_Please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay._

"Cliff?" I heard a soft, groggy voice ask.

I looked up and saw two tired blue eyes staring back at mine.

"You were…asleep?" I asked, looking at her disheveled hair and the tiny bit of drool at the corner of her mouth.

She started to answer, but was interrupted by a yawn.

Relief washed through me. Before I even knew what I was doing, she was in my arms.

"Claire, don't do that again." I pleaded.

I hugged her closely, my eyes closed and my hand feeling the tangles in her straw colored hair as I squeezed her against my chest.

"Cliff, wha-what are you doing?"

My eyes flew open.

I pushed her away immediately and tried to hide my bright red face. I had lost it and yelled after her, thinking she was mauled by some hideous beast only to find out she was dozing in the shade?! I _held _her to _me_?! The thought sent even more heat into my cheeks. _God dammit, quit blushing_!

"I must have drifted off…" she commented and tried to stand up, only to fall back to the ground. My attention shifted from my mortification to her health once again.

"Something _is_ wrong!" I said, slightly thankful that I hadn't acted out for no reason and could dodge her embarrassing question. "What happened?"

"I feel so sick…" was all she managed to say. Buckley attempted to lick her face in hopes of reviving her a little. It was then that I noticed how pale her face was.

"C'mon, we need to get you to the Clinic." I said and grabbed her hand, pulling her up. The feeling left a tingling that remained a few seconds longer. I wrapped her arm over my shoulders and began the long walk to the Clinic, Buckley walking beside us the whole time.

The sun beat down on me as I slowly dragged Claire through Mineral Town. The streets were deserted, as the near-summer heat pushed everyone into their cool houses. Every step felt like it was harder than the last, but I ignored it. I needed to get her to help.

When we finally reached the Clinic, Claire looked worse. It seemed as though her pasty skin had now taken a light shade of blue. I opened the white door and was greeted with the smell of antiseptic and mint on a blast of conditioned air. The brown-haired nurse behind the counter took one look at us and gasped.

"Doctor!" she cried.

The doctor ran from his office, saw Claire, and, with a swiftness I had never seen demonstrated with such ease before, expertly wrapped her arms around his neck and carried her behind the blue curtains. I had just seen her eyes wide and gazing at him before the curtain closed.

"Please, sir. Have a seat." The nurse instructed me, close to sounding completely calm and in charge if it wasn't for a small quiver in her voice. She then followed the doctor.

I collapsed on a plush yellow couch in the waiting room and Buckley lay at my feet.

Pulling Claire along that distance had worn me out, and sweat was staining my clothes. Now I had to add self-conscious along with exhausted and anxious to my list of uncomfortable feelings. I squirmed in my seat.

Calming, soft piano music played in the waiting room as I examined everything around me: the meticulously clean white tile, the medicine display behind the counter filled with pharmaceuticals, the lone plant that attempted to make the building cozier, anything to take my mind off Claire.

To my surprise, the nurse came back quickly, glass of water in hand.

"Here" She said, holding it out to me.

"Is she okay?" I asked, sounding a little more desperate than I would have liked.

"Claire's going to be fine. It's a classic case of fatigue. She'll need to rest here for the rest of the day, but you can come back in the afternoon and check in on her. Now, let's see how you're doing." She said with a cute smile.

After a quick, simple examination, Ellie (I finally learned her name) gave me a dose of Bodigizer and sent me on my way with a delicate wave.

Still feeling restless and not wanting to be entirely useless for the rest of the day, I decided to return to Claire's farm with Buckley and do the work on my own. The hours flew by as I worked so hard I thought I'd be turning blue pretty soon myself. Not wanting to visit Claire with dirt and sweat covering me from head to toe, I returned to the Inn and took a quick shower.

As I ran down to the dining area, I saw Ann setting up the tables for dinner. My brown eyes met with her electric blue ones.

"Hiya!" Do you want to sit down and—"

"Can't talk right now." I said as I rushed past Ann and out the Inn.

I entered the Clinic, and was surprised to hear laughter.

"It's nice to see you again, Mr. Cliff." Ellie moved from behind her counter, her puffy blue dress swaying around the corner. "Follow me."

She parted the blue curtains to reveal Claire, lying in the patient bed and laughing with the doctor, who sat on the bed beside her. I felt a pang at the sight. Her yellow hair was sprawled out and messy on the crumpled white pillow. The bluish tint and pale skin had passed, her peachy coloring returning in full force. Her dirty overalls were replaced with a white and blue polka-dotted hospital gown. She already looked nearly recovered, something that should have made me extremely happy. But her eyes made me feel strange. They stared up at the doctor. His face leaned over her, and his sleek and slightly tousled black hair hung down towards her. His long hands were wrapped around one of her wrists, as though he were feeling for a pulse then lingered there.

"I promise the medicine I send home with you won't taste as bad." He chortled.

"It better not!" she laughed loudly.

"You have a visitor." interjected Ellie.

The two turned to us and Claire's eyes grew wide.

"Cliff! Thank you so much for all your help this morning." She said with a brilliant smile.

"Oh, uh, no problem." I mumbled, glad she seemed to have no memory of my grabbing her.

"It truly is a great thing you did. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't of found her on Mother's Hill." said the doctor as he stood and held out his hand towards me. I took it tentatively and gave it a light shake.

"Th-thanks." I said, sounding pathetic. I turned back to Claire. "What happened?"

"I went to the spring early this morning to try my hand at mining. Turns out it's a little too labor intensive for me, but I kept doing it until I felt like I was going to pass out. I didn't have enough energy to walk home, so I decided to rest there. Next thing I know you're dragging me into the clinic." She said, fingering the hospital bracelet around her wrist and looking away, embarrassed.

"But with a bit of Bodigizer, Turbojolt XL, and some rest, she made a speedy recovery." said the doctor as he grabbed a clipboard and reviewed it. "I think she can return home now that she has a friend to escort her."

Ellie handed the patient her freshly cleaned clothes and we left Claire to dress herself.

When she re-emerged it looked as though today never happened.

"Ready?" I asked, offering my arm if she needed help.

"I think so." she said and carefully wrapped her arm around mine. Her touch reminded me of our embrace earlier, and I put my head down in a mixture of pleasure and shame.

We were about to walk out the door when she turned around.

"Thank you, Ellie. And thank you Doctor. I'll be sure to bring you those grasses we talked about." she said and flashed him a final smile.

The doctor, who always seemed so grave before, gave her a warm smile back.

"I hope you stop by soon then."

Before we turned to leave again, I caught a glimpse of Ellie's face. She was looking at the doctor's expression with a look of both yearning and worry. It unsettled me.

Claire talked the whole way back to her house, thanking me for my help and work, and promising to pay me double (I flatly refused despite any money issues). But what she talked about most was the doctor.

"I'm surprised at how caring he is. He worked so quickly and wordlessly, but when that was all done, Trent stayed with me and we talked for so long…"

"Trent?"

"The doctor, that's his name." she stated.

For some reason, it never occurred to me that the doctor had a name other than his title.

When the sun had finally gone down and the air was light once again, we reached Claire's farm. I walked her inside and helped her into bed, despite all her protests that she could do it herself.

"Cliff, do you know anything about Dr. Trent?" she asked as she pulled the covers around her.

My stomach turned uncomfortably.

"No, I didn't even know his name, remember?" I replied, mumbling a tiny joke.

"Oh yeah." She laughed lightly then yawned. "Hmm, oh well. Goodnight Cliff!" she called and I made my way to the door.

_Why does she keep bringing _Trent_ up_? I thought, wondering what they had talked about all day.

I passed a full-length mirror as I crossed the room, and caught sight of my reflection. The look I had on my face was oddly familiar. Suddenly I realized it was the same look that had been on Ellie's just an hour earlier.

Yearning and worry.


End file.
